U.S. Considers Sending Long-Range Missiles to Bolster Ukraine’s Fight

The U.S. has been considering approving a long-range missile system for Ukraine, American and European officials said, a move that would come as Russia grapples with unrest in its military leadership and uncertainty on the battlefield, as the WSJ reports.

Top Russian General Detained

Top Russian army general Sergei Surovikin has been detained as Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin cracks down on Wagner sympathizers following the militia’s failed mutiny last week, as the FT reports.

Wildfire smoke put nearly half of U.S. states under air quality alerts

As smoke from Canadian wildfires swept a thick haze and fueled dangerously poor air quality across the Midwestern and Eastern U.S. on Thursday, experts warn that this latest bout is unlikely to be the last, as The Washington Post reports.

Executive Education

Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People offers embassy, business, and nonprofit professionals the tools and knowledge necessary to better navigate the Washington policy ecosystem. Participants will learn how formal structures and informal networks interact to advance policy interests, further examining these structures through the lens of modern-day politics and media dynamics.

Video Shorts

Check out CSIS’s new series of video shorts: “Asked & Answered,” “The Recap,” “Data Unpacked,” “Testify,” “What's Happening,” “Preview,” and “High Resolution.” And don’t forget to subscribe to the CSIS YouTube Channel!

In That Number

20

Scorching heat waves are hitting the southern United States, sharply increasing risk of heat-related illness and deaths as temperatures rise 20 degrees above average in the region.

Source: NYT

Critical Quote

“We’re in quite unprecedented territory. We’ve smashed all of the records for a Canadian wildfire season before the season has even started.”

—Michael Wara, Senior Research Scholar, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment

iDeas Lab

In February 2023, PERN and Orlen—the largest Polish energy company—opened a new pipeline that enhances energy security in the southern part of Poland. The pipeline replaces rail transport, carrying an amount equivalent to that of 25,500 tankers annually. Read the full analysis here.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

(Photo credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images.) A group of people wear face masks to protect against air pollution as they walk past the U.S. Supreme Court Building on June 29, 2023, in Washington, DC.

This Town Tomorrow

At 3:00 p.m., the CSIS Diversity and Leadership in International Affairs Project unpacks the importance of racial equity in foreign policy and diplomacy.

At 10:00 a.m., the Stimson Center hosts a conversation of U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability and the Global Fragility Act.

And, at 9:00 a.m., the Hudson Institute hosts a conversation about the state of Hong Kong politics and the ramifications of the CCP’s actions against human rights and freedom.

Video

Today, the CSIS Korea Chair hosted a conversation about what North Korea will do next with Mr. Markus Garlauskas. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

CSIS's Max Bergmann, Donatienne Ruy, and Sean Monaghan were joined by the Atlantic Council's Marie Jourdain for a conversation on the European Union's role in integrating and coordinating efforts to rebuild European militaries from the bottom-up.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

FX and Hulu’s hit show, “The Bear” has me thinking about some of the great music from my early adulthood, namely, R.E.M.’s underappreciated 1994 album “Monster.” The band’s string of albums between 1983 and 1992 proved to be some of the most influential music in the history of the Modern Rock genre, inspiring everyone from Nirvana to Radiohead and Coldplay.

When “Monster” dropped in ’94 it had been two years since the band’s widely acclaimed “Automatic for the People” astonished listeners with its depth and sonic weight. For many, “Monster” seemed to be a letdown even if it contained several fine tracks and sold well. I loved it from the first time I listened to it. Michael Stipe’s bright blistering vocals on “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” coupled with Peter Buck’s reverb and distorted guitar playing hooked me. Listening to that track and the rest of the album now, it has clearly held up. Play this LOUD.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

The Evening is my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day. It is composed with the External Relations team: Paige Montfort, Claire Dannenbaum, and Ava Rose.